US20230057915A1

US20230057915A1 - Semiconductor module

Info

Publication number: US20230057915A1
Application number: US17/806,189
Authority: US
Inventors: Kosuke Yamaguchi
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Current assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Priority date: 2021-08-18
Filing date: 2022-06-09
Publication date: 2023-02-23
Also published as: JP7675595B2; JP2023027861A; DE102022119189A1; CN115910947A

Abstract

An object is to provide a semiconductor module capable achieving both a heat radiation property and an insulation property. A semiconductor module includes: a substrate having a main surface and a main surface on a side opposite to the main surface; a semiconductor device mounted on the main surface; and a heat sink attached to the main surface via an insulation sheet having a thermal conductivity, wherein the substrate includes a through hole passing from the main surface to the main surface, the semiconductor device includes a plurality of electrodes exposed from a surface facing the main surface and a protrusion formed between the plurality of electrodes to be inserted through the through hole, and the insulation sheet is formed so that a length in a thickness direction of the substrate is larger than a length of a tip end portion of the protrusion protruding from the through hole.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor module.

Description of the Background Art

A surface-mount semiconductor module is generally used without a heat sink. In this case, heat generated in a semiconductor chip in a package is radiated to the air from a surface of resin constituting the package through the resin, or is radiated to a substrate via an electrode passing from an inner side of the package to an outer side thereof (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-207275).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-207275 discloses a configuration that a resin protrusion is provided in a molding resin of a semiconductor device to increase a creeping distance between adjacent lead frames (corresponding to an electrode), and the resin protrusion is fitted into a through hole of a wiring substrate for a purpose of suppressing creeping current flowing in a surface of the molding resin.
In a technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No, 2014-207275, an insulation distance between the adjacent lead frames can be secured by providing the resin protrusion in the molding resin, thus an interval between the adjacent lead frames can be reduced, that is to say, a size of the lead frames can be increased.
This configuration can flow larger current in the lead frame. As a result, there is a problem that a temperature of a semiconductor module increases at a time of operating the semiconductor module, and solder used in the semiconductor module is deteriorated, thus durability of the semiconductor module decreases.
It is considered that a heat sink is attached to the wiring substrate to increase a heat radiation property of the semiconductor module, however, there is a problem in the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-207275 that the resin protrusion is fitted in the through hole of the wiring substrate, thus an insulation distance between the lead frame and the heat sink decreases. As described above, both the heat radiation property and an insulation property are hardly achieved in the semiconductor module by the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-207275.

SUMMARY

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a semiconductor module capable achieving both a heat radiation property and an insulation property.
A semiconductor module according to the present disclosure includes a substrate, a semiconductor device, and a heat sink. The substrate includes a first main surface and a second main surface on a side opposite to the first main surface. The semiconductor device is mounted on the first main surface. The heat sink is attached to the second main surface via an insulation member having a thermal conductivity. The substrate includes a first through hole passing from the first main surface to the second main surface. The semiconductor device includes a plurality of electrodes exposed from a surface facing the first main surface and a protrusion formed between the plurality of electrodes to be inserted through the first through hole. The insulation member is formed so that a length in a thickness direction of the substrate is larger than that of a tip end portion of the protrusion protruding from the first through hole.
The insulation member is disposed between the substrate provided with the semiconductor device and the heat sink, thus the insulation distance between the plurality of electrodes and the heat sink can be secured. Furthermore, the heat generated in the plurality of electrodes is transmitted to the heat sink not only from the substrate but also from the tip end portion of the protrusion through the insulation member, and is radiated to an outer side by the heat sink. Accordingly, both the heat radiation property and the insulation property can be achieved in the semiconductor module.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor module according to an embodiment 1.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor module according to an embodiment 2.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor module according to an embodiment 3.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor module according to an embodiment 4.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor module according to an embodiment 5.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor module according to an embodiment 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiment

1

An embodiment 1 is described hereinafter using the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor module 100 according to the embodiment 1.
In FIG. 1 , an X direction, a Y direction, and a Z direction are perpendicular to each other. An X direction, a Y direction, and a Z direction illustrated in the subsequent drawings are also perpendicular to each other. In the description hereinafter, a direction including the X direction and a −X direction as a direction opposite to the X direction is also referred to as “an X axis direction”. In the description hereinafter, a direction including the Y direction and a −Y direction as a direction opposite to the Y direction is also referred to as “a Y axis direction”. In the description hereinafter, a direction including the Z direction and a −Z direction as a direction opposite to the Z direction is also referred to as “a Z axis direction”.
As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the semiconductor module 100 includes a substrate 1, a semiconductor device 3, an insulation sheet 6 (corresponding to an insulation member), and a heat sink 7 having a plurality of fin parts 7 a.
The substrate 1 includes a main surface 1 a (corresponding to a first main surface), a main surface 1 b (corresponding to a second main surface) on a side opposite to the main surface 1 a, and a through hole 1 c (corresponding to a first through hole). The through hole 1 c passes from the main surface 1 a to the main surface 1 b to extend in the Y axis direction. A metal pattern 2 a is provided on the main surface 1 a of the substrate 1.
The semiconductor device 3 is mounted on the main surface 1 a of the substrate 1. The semiconductor device 3 includes a body part 4 a, a protrusion 4 b, and a plurality of electrodes 4 c. The body part 4 a is formed of resin to have a rectangular shape in a view in the Z axis direction. The protrusion 4 b is formed using resin between the plurality of electrodes 4 c in the body part 4 a, and protrudes on a side of the substrate 1 (the Z direction) and extends in the Y axis direction. The protrusion 4 b is formed to be slightly smaller than a length of the through hole 1 c in the X axis direction and the Y axis direction so as to be able to be inserted into the through hole 1 c of the substrate 1. The protrusion 4 b is longer than the substrate 1 in the thickness direction (the Z axis direction), thus a tip end portion of the protrusion 4 b protrudes from the main surface 1 b of the substrate 1 while the protrusion 4 b is inserted through the through hole 1 c of the substrate 1.
The plurality of electrodes 4 c and the metal pattern 2 a are joined by a joint material 5 while the protrusion 4 b is inserted through the through hole 1 c of the substrate 1, thus the semiconductor device 3 is mounted on the substrate 1. The joint material 5 is a solder or a conductive resin paste.
One or a plurality of protrusions 4 b may be provided. When the plurality of protrusions 4 b are provided, they are provided to be arranged at intervals in the X axis direction.
The insulation sheet 6 is formed of a sponge having a thermal conductivity, and is disposed on the main surface 1 b of the substrate 1 to secure an insulation distance between the plurality of electrodes 4 c and the heat sink 7. The heat sink 7 is fixed to the main surface 1 b of the substrate 1 with a screw via the insulation sheet 6. The heat sink 7 may be co-fastened to the substrate 1 and the semiconductor device 3 via the insulation sheet 6.
The insulation sheet 6 is formed to be longer in the thickness direction (the Z axis direction) of the substrate 1 than the tip end portion of the protrusion 4 b protruding from the through hole 1 c. The insulation sheet 6 has flexibility to an extent that the tip end portion of the protrusion 4 b can get into the insulation sheet 6 when having direct contact therewith. Accordingly, when the insulation sheet 6 is fixed to the substrate 1, the tip end portion of the protrusion 4 b gets into the insulation sheet 6 but does not press the heat sink 7 via the insulation sheet 6.
The tip end portion of the protrusion 4 b gets into the insulation sheet 6, thus heat generated in the plurality of electrodes 4 c is transmitted to the heat sink 7 from not only the substrate 1 but also from the tip end portion of the protrusion 4 b via the insulation sheet 6, and is radiated to an outer side by the heat sink 7. Herein, a magnitude relationship of a thermal conductivity of members constituting the semiconductor module 100 is as: the heat sink 7>the insulation sheet 6>the protrusion 4 b>the substrate 1. Thus, in the semiconductor module 100, the heat is transmitted to the heat sink 7 more effectively than a case where the tip end portion of the protrusion 4 b does not get into the insulation sheet 6.
As described above, the semiconductor module 100 according to the embodiment 1 includes: the substrate 1 having the main surface 1 a and a main surface 1 b on the side opposite to the main surface 1 a, the semiconductor device 3 mounted on the main surface 1 a; and the heat sink 7 attached to the main surface 1 b via the insulation sheet 6 having the thermal conductivity, wherein the substrate 1 includes the through hole 1 c passing from the main surface 1 a to the main surface 1 b, the semiconductor device 3 includes the plurality of electrodes 4 c exposed from the surface facing the main surface 1 a and the protrusion 4 b formed between the plurality of electrodes 4 c to be inserted through the through hole 1 c, and the insulation sheet 6 is formed to be longer in the thickness direction (the Z axis direction) of the substrate 1 than the tip end portion of the protrusion 4 b protruding from the through hole 1 c.
The insulation sheet 6 is disposed between the substrate 1 provided with the semiconductor device 3 and the heat sink 7, thus the insulation distance between the plurality of electrodes 4 c and the heat sink 7 can be secured. Furthermore, the heat generated in the plurality of electrodes 4 c is transmitted to the heat sink 7 from not only the substrate 1 but also from the tip end portion of the protrusion 4 b via the insulation sheet 6, and is radiated to an outer side by the heat sink 7. Accordingly, both the heat radiation property and the insulation property can be achieved in the semiconductor module 100. According to the above configuration, durability of the semiconductor module 100 can be increased.

Embodiment 2

A semiconductor module 100A according to an embodiment 2 is described next. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor module 100A according to the embodiment 2. In the description in the embodiment 2, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same constituent elements as those described in the embodiment 1, and the description thereof will be omitted.
As illustrated in FIG. 2 , in the embodiment 2, the semiconductor module 100A includes an adhesive agent 16 having the thermal conductivity and the insulation property in place of the insulation sheet 6.
The adhesive agent 16 is applied to the main surface 1 b of the substrate 1 to secure the insulation distance between the plurality of electrodes 4 c and the heat sink 7. The substrate 1 and the heat sink 7 are joined by the adhesive agent 16. The adhesive agent 16 is applied to be longer in the thickness direction (the Z axis direction) of the substrate 1 than the tip end portion of the protrusion 4 b protruding from the through hole 1 c, thus the tip end portion of the protrusion 4 b is not exposed from the adhesive agent 16. Herein, the adhesive agent 16 corresponds to the insulating member.
As described above, the semiconductor module 100A according to the embodiment 2 includes the adhesive agent 16 having the thermal conductivity and the insulation property in place of the insulation sheet 6, thus can have the effect similar to the case in the embodiment 1.

Embodiment 3

A semiconductor module 100B according to an embodiment 3 is described next. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor module 100B according to the embodiment 3. In the description in the embodiment 3, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same constituent elements as those described in the embodiments 1 and 2, and the description thereof will be omitted.
When the length of the substrate 1 in the thickness direction (the Z axis direction) in the insulation sheet 6 increases, a thermal conductivity performance of heat from the insulation sheet 6 to the heat sink 7 decreases, thus the length of the substrate 1 in the thickness direction (the Z axis direction) in the insulation sheet 6 is preferably short.
Thus, in the embodiment 3, as illustrated in FIG. 3 , the insulation sheet 6 has a configuration that the length of the substrate 1 in the thickness direction (the Z axis direction) is formed to be smaller than that of the tip end portion of the protrusion 4 b, and a groove 7 b in which the tip end portion of the protrusion 4 b is housed via the insulation sheet 6 is formed in a surface of the heat sink 7 facing the insulation sheet 6.
In the embodiment 3, the length of the substrate 1 in the thickness direction (the Z axis direction) in the insulation sheet 6 is approximately one third of the case in the embodiment 1. The length of the substrate 1 in the thickness direction (the Z axis direction), the X axis direction, and the Y axis direction in the groove 7 b is formed to be larger than the length of the substrate 1 in the thickness direction (the Z axis direction), the X axis direction, and the Y axis direction in the tip end portion of the protrusion 4 b so that the tip end portion of the protrusion 4 b can be housed in the groove 7 b via the insulation sheet 6.
As described above, in the semiconductor module 100B according to the embodiment 3, the insulation sheet 6 has a configuration that the length of the substrate 1 in the thickness direction (the Z axis direction) is formed to be smaller than that of the tip end portion of the protrusion 4 b, and the groove 7 b in which the tip end portion of the protrusion 4 b is housed via the insulation sheet 6 is formed in the surface of the heat sink 7 facing the insulation sheet 6.
Accordingly, both the heat radiation property and the insulation property can be achieved in the semiconductor module 100B. Furthermore, the thermal conductivity performance of the heat from the insulation sheet 6 to the heat sink 7 can be increased more than the case in the embodiment 1, thus the heat radiation property of the semiconductor module 100B can be increased more than the case in the embodiment 1.
When the heat sink 7 is formed by extruding, the groove 7 b can be formed at the same time, thus manufacturing cost of the semiconductor module 100B does not increase compared with the case in the embodiment 1.

Embodiment 4

A semiconductor module 100C according to an embodiment 4 is described next. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor module 100C according to the embodiment 4. In the description in the embodiment 4, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same constituent elements as those described in the embodiments 1 to 3, and the description thereof will be omitted.
In the embodiment 1, the heat sink 7 is provided to increase the heat radiation property of the semiconductor module 100, however, in a case where the heat radiation property lower than the that of the heat sink 7 is applicable, as illustrated in FIG. 4 , a heat radiation plate 17 made of ceramic having a length in the thickness direction (the Z axis direction) of the substrate 1 smaller than the heat sink 7 is provided in place of the heat sink 7. A method of attaching the heat radiation plate 17 is similar to the case in the heat sink 7. The heat radiation plate 17 can be applied to the semiconductor modules 100A and 100B according to the embodiments 2 and 3.
As described above, the semiconductor module 100C according to the embodiment 4 includes the heat radiation plate 17 having the length in the thickness direction (the Z axis direction) of the substrate 1 smaller than the heat sink 7 in place of the heat sink 7.
The heat radiation plate 17 is light in weight than the heat sink 7, thus the semiconductor module 100 C having higher vibration resistance than the case in the embodiment 1 can be achieved.

Embodiment 5

A semiconductor module 100D according to an embodiment 5 is described next. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor module 100D according to the embodiment 5. In the description in the embodiment 5, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same constituent elements as those described in the embodiments 1 to 4, and the description thereof will be omitted.
As illustrated in FIG. 5 , in the embodiment 5, a through hole 1 d (corresponding to a second through hole) passing from the main surface 1 a to the main surface 1 b is formed in the substrate 1 separately from the through hole 1 c. Metal patterns 2 a and 2 b covering the through hole 1 d are provided in the main surface 1 a and the main surface 1 b, respectively. A conductive film (not shown in the drawings) is provided on an inner wall of the through hole 1 d for electrical conduction of the metal patterns 2 a and 2 b. Accordingly, it is possible to flow current in the main surface 1 a and the main surface 1 b as both surfaces of the substrate 1.
One or a plurality of through holes 1 d may be provided. The through hole 1 d can also be applied to the semiconductor modules 100A, 100B, and 100C according to the embodiments 2 to 4.
As described above, the semiconductor module 100D according to the embodiment 5 has the configuration that the through hole 1 d passing from the main surface 1 a to the main surface 1 b is formed in the substrate 1 separately from the through hole 1 c, and the metal patterns 2 a and 2 b covering the through hole 1 d are provided in the main surface 1 a and the main surface 1 b, respectively.
Accordingly, the heat generated in the plurality of electrodes 4 c is transmitted from the metal pattern 2 a to the metal pattern 2 b through the through hole 1 d, thus the heat radiation property is increased more than the case where the through hole 1 d is not provided. It is possible to flow current in the main surface 1 a and the main surface 1 b as both surfaces of the substrate 1, thus heat generation in the substrate 1 can also be suppressed.

Embodiment 6

A semiconductor module 100E according to an embodiment 6 is described next. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor module 100E according to the embodiment 6. In the description in the embodiment 6, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same constituent elements as those described in the embodiments 1 to 5, and the description thereof will be omitted.
As illustrated in FIG. 6 , in the embodiment 6, the through hole 1 d of the substrate 1 is filled with a grease 11 having a heat radiation property. The through hole 1 d may be filled with a gel having a thermal conductivity in place of the grease 11. The structure of filling the through hole 1 d with the grease 11 having the heat radiation property or the gel having the thermal conductivity can also be applied to the semiconductor modules 100A, 100B, and 100C according to the embodiments 2 to 4.
As described above, in the semiconductor module 100E according to the embodiment 6, the through hole 1 d is filled with the grease 11 having the heat radiation property or the gel having the thermal conductivity, thus the heat radiation property can be increased more than the case in the embodiment 5.
Each embodiment can be arbitrarily combined, or each embodiment can be appropriately varied or omitted.
While the invention has been shown and described in detail, the foregoing description is in all aspects illustrative and not restrictive. It is therefore understood that numerous modifications and variations can be devised without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A semiconductor module, comprising:

a substrate having a first main surface and a second main surface on a side opposite to the first main surface;

a semiconductor device mounted on the first main surface; and

a heat sink attached to the second main surface via an insulation member having a thermal conductivity, wherein

the substrate includes a first through hole passing from the first main surface to the second main surface,

the semiconductor device includes a plurality of electrodes exposed from a surface facing the first main surface and a protrusion formed between the plurality of electrodes to be inserted through the first through hole, and

the insulation member is formed so that a length in a thickness direction of the substrate is larger than a length of a tip end portion of the protrusion protruding from the first through hole.

2. A semiconductor module, comprising:

a semiconductor device mounted on the first main surface; and

the semiconductor device includes a plurality of electrodes exposed from a surface facing the first main surface and a protrusion formed between the plurality of electrodes to be inserted through the first through hole,

the insulation member is formed so that a length in a thickness direction of the substrate is smaller than a length of a tip end portion of the protrusion protruding from the first through hole, and

a groove in which the tip end portion of the protrusion is housed via the insulation member is formed in a surface of the heat sink facing the insulation member.

3. The semiconductor module according to claim 1 comprising a heat radiation plate having a length in a thickness direction of the substrate smaller than a length of the heat sink in place of the heat sink.

4. The semiconductor module according to claim 2 comprising a heat radiation plate having a length in a thickness direction of the substrate smaller than a length of the heat sink in place of the heat sink.

5. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein

a second through hole passing from the first main surface to the second main surface is formed in the substrate separately from the first through hole, and

a metal pattern covering the second through hole is provided on the first main surface and the second main surface.

6. The semiconductor module according to claim 2, wherein

7. The semiconductor module according to claim 5, wherein

the second through hole is filled with a grease having a heat radiation property or a gel having a thermal conductivity.

8. The semiconductor module according to claim 6, wherein